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SCAI designs draft guidance for using renal denervation for hypertension
Amidst impending FDA approval, the agency designed guidance for the appropriate use and integration of RDN into clinical practice. It is open for comments and covers patient selection, procedural and technical considerations for pre-procedure imaging, anatomical considerations, procedural safety, post-procedural monitoring, institutional requirements and competencies.
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Intervention
New approach to manage transplant rejection
A particular kind of immune cells, called tissue-resident memory T cells, were found to drive chronic transplant rejection. They remember previous threats but live within organs. They are constantly exposed to antigens and IL15 to induce immune responses. Researchers found that blocking IL-15 signalling increased graft survival in mice that received kidney transplants.
University of Pittsburgh
Parathyroidectomy may not improve kidney function in older people
The incidence of eGFR decline in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism managed with parathyroidectomy was 5.1% and 10.8% at 5 and 10 years, compared to 5.1% and 12.0% decline in those managed nonoperatively, respectively, as per a study. However, parathyroidectomy was linked to a reduced risk of eGFR decline in patients under 60 years but not over 60 years.
Physician's Weekly
Kidney disease may interfere with Alzheimer's testing
Chronic kidney disease was associated with increased levels of phosphorylated(p)-tau217 and p-tau181, the biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, as per a study. These findings suggest that specific biomarker ratios, more importantly, pT217/T217 ratios, should be used to reduce these associations between the performances of phosphorylated biomarkers and kidney disease.
Twitter @JAMANeuro
Breaks in TKI therapy may not affect the outcomes of renal cell carcinoma
Researchers did not find a clinically meaningful reduction in survival outcomes of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who discontinued the planned treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitor compared to those who continued the planned treatment. However, the study could not determine the non-inferiority of treatment cessation to treatment continuation.
Cancer Network
Study suggests not giving hydrochlorothiazide to prevent kidney stones
The incidence of kidney stone recurrence was not substantially different among people on various doses of HCT or placebo, as per a study. On the other hand, new-onset diabetes mellitus, gout, skin allergy, hypokalemia, and higher plasma creatinine levels over 150% were more common in people on HCT than in those on placebo, suggesting the dangers of using HCT.
Twitter @NEJM
Renal denervation lowers systolic blood pressure
Patients with hypertension who were not on antihypertensives and underwent renal denervation reduced daytime ambulatory systolic BP by 7.9 mm Hg compared to 1.8 mm Hg in those who underwent a sham procedure, as per a study. The ultrasound renal denervation effects were consistent throughout a 24-hr circadian cycle. Moreover, 6 out of 7 secondary outcomes also improved with it.
Health Day
Simultaneous heart-kidney transplant is linked to better survival
Compared to heart transplantation alone, heart-kidney transplantation was tied to better survival in patients with moderate kidney disease regardless of dialysis status, as per a study. The 5-year mortality in heart-transplant recipients was 38.6% compared to 26.7% in heart-kidney transplant recipients. The survival benefit of heart-kidney transplant lasted till eGFR of 40.
Healio
FDA grants accelerated approval for a drug to treat IgAN
Filspari (sparsentan) is approved for treating proteinuria in adults with primary IgA nephropathy at risk of progression. It is the only non-immunosuppressive and once-daily oral drug approved for this condition. It targets angiotensin II and endothelin-1 and can ultimately become a new standard of care. It comes with a boxed warning of teratogenicity and hepatotoxicity.
Travere Therapeutics
Gadolinium in MRI contrast agents can infiltrate kidneys
The contrast agents given as infusion to enhance MRI scans contain a rare earth element called gadolinium. Researchers found it could leech from the contrast agent and enter kidney tissues to start nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, which can be fatal. But how the metal detaches from the contrast agent and why only some people develop kidney events is not known.
University of New Mexico
